Mrs Reynolds and The Ruffian

The Marco Players’ 43rd Season and their third production sees them performing Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian by Gary Owen. With the setback of having to find a new venue Bolton Little Theatre kindly came to the rescue. The writer Gary Owen is a Welshman and penned the play in 2010, exploring friendship, age differences and human nature - the play has lots of surprises in store.  This is a love story - and not in the way you think.

I do think the Forge was a perfect setting of for the play intimate and modern - the audience were up close and personal. With a white wall which was used to project the title of the 17 scenes and the use of the graffiti which when the actor painted over it, disappeared – clever! The first scene was the interview room where a table and three chairs were used. For varying scenes, the stage crew came in and quickly changed the street scene where a large square planter complete with soil and plants of the season and damaged tree in the middle. Various plant pots around the stage and litter. Wooden bench was then utilised for various purposes. Garden chairs were used for Mel’s garden and table with lace cloth and chairs for Mrs Reynolds’ house complete with food and Christmas cake. The set was simple but the Props team had a mammoth job with the 17 scenes and some serious planning must have gone on as to what plants in what season were used. Set Design Mike Thomas and Meredith Collinson. Set Construction David Holt, Janice Lyon, John Lyon, David Cieszynski, Robin Jones and John Mitchell. Props Peter Haslam, Karen Farrar & Cast. Stage Crew Karen Farrar, David Holt and Robin Jones. Projections Meredith Collinson.

Lighting and Sound all worked and the various songs and artists contributed to setting the scene with songs from Patrice Rushen, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Stormzy to name but a few to help fill the scene changes. Lighting Design/Rig and Operation Chloe Spencer. Sound Design Mike Thomas. Sound Preparation Janice Lyon and Chris Brooks. Sound Operation Chris Brooks.

Mike Thomas directs the five strong cast in a peek into life when two opposite people are thrown together and we expect fireworks which we get but also a few surprises of just two lonely lost people in this world and each with their own baggage. The two main protagonists lead the play and it’s dialogue-heavy. In the programme it says this play is dear to Mike since first reading it in Lockdown and it shows the preparation that has gone into it.  A good use of stage was made. The play touches on many points that will resonate with people including the topical assisted dying making it very emotive.

Alex Farrar plays the part of Kieran Jay’s friend and main graffiti artist. A hard job as he has not a likeable character but his qualities are true to life, he does actually exact revenge on Jay’s assailant and that’s about as close as he gets to being kind. His disregard for all authority and women is actually scary. Alex delivers a larger-than-life performance and his enactment of the revenge and his enjoyment of it is chilling.

Laura Duffy plays Mel. Mel moves into the street and Jay catches her eye which makes for an interesting combination as she also comes with baggage. She knows what she wants and doesn’t care what people think about her, unlike Jay. She is a good foil for Jay while overcoming her own issues.

Caz Pearson takes on the role of Cassie the caseworker. Great characterisation of officialdom and the sing-song tone she used especially when trying to calm the situation. Caz brought a great energy onto stage with her likeable, slightly irritating character and gave a different vitality to the scene. Job done.

The Ruffian was Jay played by Ash Foster with sulky personality and air of entitlement. We see Jay thaw, he even gives us a glimpse of his difficult childhood which is probably the turning point of the unlikely friendship. He is full of contradictory thoughts and deeds and knows his way about the law. Well, that was until he met Mrs Reynolds. Gary Owen chooses a woman of a certain age whose looks deceive about what she is actually capable of. As soon as Jay does what he does to Mrs Reynolds’ property he has met his match. Mrs Reynolds played by Joyce Smith gives us the woman who appears frightened and flustered - we soon see she is in for the long game and we witness a friendship develop over several scenes with Jay resisting but actually he doesn’t stand a chance. The chemistry was good showing the internal fight they both had and the ending when Jay saves her against her will was heart wrenching and the fact that when he had saved her, he kept asking if she was okay. Certainly, adds fuel to the debate about assisted dying. Powerful. I am sure the audience had food for thought.

Thank you for the invite and hospitality from my guest Matthew and I.

Liz Hume-Dawson

District 5 Rep

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